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ON THE ROAD

STARPOLISH: Is touring still the best way to promote your music?

LESTE: Absolutely -- there is no substitute for playing gigs. Regardless of all the new developments in technology, and music television and the Internet, the tried-and-true tradition of building a fan base through touring will never change. If you can't attract an audience from the stage you'll never have a career in music as a performer.

STARPOLISH: What advice do you offer musicians who are preparing for their first trek away from home?

LESTE: Take care of yourself and pack light! Be prepared mentally, with the fans and people in the industry. I learned that from bands like Metallica, who've been around for ages and who have a loyal hard-core following and respect among the people that can help you, like booking agents, promoters, technical people and so on. Success is no accident. We want people to know that we're not assholes or smug rock stars -- we're human beings, we bleed just like you do, and we're giving everything we can give. We're not above anybody. People can pick up on that very quickly. Show the people that come to your gigs and work at the shows that you're thankful.

STARPOLISH: Many people have said that being in a band is like being in a marriage. How do you advise musicians on finding the right partners?

LESTE: There's an old saying that goes something like, "You try the milk before you buy the cow." DJ (guitarist Ashba) and I formed Beautiful Creatures, and we checked out many different players. We searched for people that have one common goal and who are responsible. We made sure we didn't choose guys who were drug addicts, potheads, or lazy. You have to have your head together to be in a band. Even though everybody has a different personality, when we get on that tour bus it's going to be a cohesive thing and everybody will respect each other.

STARPOLISH: Is personality more important than skill?

LESTE: Yup. I know a lot of guys out there that could be the next Eddie Van Halen, or the next Billy Sheehan on the bass -- but they're the biggest jerks that you'll ever meet. Would you want to stay on a bus with them for nine months? You need to put together a group that is not only good musicians, but good people. Nobody in this band has an inflated ego. You want to talk about something being 1980s? Egos is being '80s. And I don't care if you're in a brand new band, or Korn or Limp Bizkit.

STARPOLISH: A lot of newer bands are often in a situation where they need to hire - or work with - a producer. What should you look for in a producer?

"We want people to know that we're not assholes or smug rock stars -- we're human beings, we bleed just like you do, and we're giving everything we can give." - Joe LeSte, Beautiful Creatures

LESTE: Honesty and experience. Our producer, Sean Bevan, has an amazing track record working with Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, and Guns 'n' Roses. He is a perfectionist. Sean recognized our bravado and swagger right away. We want to stand up on stage and go, "I own this!" But when we were doing something that didn't work, he'd look you in the face and do his Dr. Evil imitation! You need an up-front and truthful producer. Sean doesn't care about any business people and outside influences. His attitude was. "It's me and the band and we're going to make the best damn record that we can ever make." And we accomplished that. Each song has its own personality, and a good producer will bring that out.

TECHNOLOGY & RECORDING

STARPOLISH: Technology gives us the power to bring almost any musical idea to fruition. Where does the artist draw the line?

LESTE: It's very important for a new artist to represent themselves and their music accurately on record. When you see Beautiful Creatures live it sounds like the album. I'm singing all the vocals, DJ is playing the leads, the tone and everything you're hearing on record is what you're hearing in concert -- you're not being duped by Pro-Tools or six ADAT machines hiding behind a cabinet that nobody sees. You're not going to hear four different choruses going on when the singer's not even near his microphone. We're the real deal. By going back to the basics, we're bringing music into the future. Don't fake it. Be yourself.

STARPOLISH: What's the best way to prepare for an important recording session?

LESTE: Pre-production. Know your songs. Set a goal for yourself. Don't wait until you get in the studio to figure out the tempo, riffs, or song structure. Taping your rehearsals is really important -- it prepares you for being in the studio where every pimple is magnified. The rhythm section has to know exactly what they're going to do. We devote a lot of our time to pre-production. This album took a year of practice.

STARPOLISH: Beautiful Creatures draws from the hard-rock sound of the 1980s, yet the band is far from retro. Should musicians make a conscious effort to sound contemporary?

LESTE: We're not a band that's going to deny our roots, and I think that's an important mind-set for any artist. Someone said to me recently that the world revolves and it turns in a circle, and things come back around but they never come back the same way. When we wrote our songs we didn't wanted people to feel like we were ripping off AC/DC or Guns 'n' Roses. We wanted them to feel like they were listening to something as great as that, but slightly different. It took a conscious effort to capture that element of modern-day meets old-school and meld the two together. Sure, I want to make great albums like Highway to Hell or Appetite for Destruction. But I also want to live for today. And we want to show fans into Slipknot and Hate Breed and Disturbed that we respect our roots, and that we don't have to go back into a cheesy 80s' pop-metal production thing.

MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS

STARPOLISH: There's another saying, "You're only as good as the company you keep." So what about choosing a manager?

LESTE: Go with somebody who believes in the band and is willing to work just as hard as you are. I've met a lot of managers over the years, and when Beautiful Creatures was shopping for someone it was a courting period for us. We chose Gloria Butler because she knew our music. We had guys who wanted to sign us that didn't even know the names of the people in our band or the song titles! Gloria has a heart and truly loves this band. She did not take on any other acts. Gloria flies back and forth to England, New York and LA on our behalf, and she's on the phone constantly. Plus, Gloria is very personable and her professional attitude reflects positively on us. You have to make sure that the individual handling your livelihood can balance the ups and downs and represent you with confidence. A career in music is not all love and rockets. There's going to be conflicts. When things get tough, you need to know that the manager is going to stand up for you.

STARPOLISH: Musicians are notorious for their lack of business savvy. Any suggestions?

LESTE: Even though you have a manager, musicians should not ignore the business side of being a musician. You need to know what the ticket sales are, how the gig is being promoted, the details of your production and record deal, and so forth. If you don't, people are going to walk all over you.

ART & COMMERCIAL SUCCESS

STARPOLISH: One of your songs, "1 A.M.," is on the soundtrack to the film, Valentine. How did that come about?

LESTE: Jeff Blue, our A&R guy who also co-produced the record, got us on the film. He has a great track record. Jeff's worked with Macy Gray, and he signed Limp Bizkit and Korn. Right after he signed Linkin Park, he signed us. These are the type of people you have to meet and develop relationships with. Jeff is a whole new breed of A&R. He worked with us on "1 A.M." from 12 in afternoon until three in the morning. And then he got on the phone and worked the song to the film people.

STARPOLISH: Some artists feel that selling their songs for use in commercials or films compromises their integrity and will ultimately hurt their career. What's your verdict?

"A career in music is not all love and rockets. There's going to be conflicts. When things get tough, you need to know that the manager is going to stand up for you."

LESTE: If you're a young band starting out and you want people to hear you, it can be a tremendous vehicle to expose your music. Me, I'm a movie buff; I love having our song in a film. If you have the opportunity to include your song on a commercial or a soundtrack, seize the moment. Anything that's going to get people to hear your music is good. Don't concern yourself with other people's ideas of what's right and wrong. And don't worry about how much money you're going to make. Concern yourself with building an audience.

STARPOLISH: What is the essence of playing music for a living?

LESTE: Thinking about the song (breaks into an a cappella rendition of Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl"). Write something you can sink your teeth into. When you write a good song it will never leave you for the rest of your life. It's a double-edged sword -- one side of me wants to rock like a mother-, and the other side of me wants to hear a tune. You can do both. After we recorded this album I was coming back from Palm Springs and I recalled the first record I ever bought, which was Elton John's Yellow Brick Road (breaks into a solo howl of "Love Lies Bleeding"). Tears were running down my face because the song is so beautiful and it rocks! And when I hear Freddy Mercury I start bawling like a baby! Don't be self-indulgent. Write for your audience. If you want to write for yourself, stay at home with a four-track and listen to yourself on the headphones!

STARPOLISH: What makes a good song?

LESTE: Melody. Do you remember it? Did it hit you in the heart? Does it affect your soul? If your girlfriend breaks up with you, do you get tears when you hear that song? Can the song emotionally grab you? Or is it so wrenching that you just want to get up and go nuts? Music has to move you in a certain way. Anything else is meant for elevators.

Joe LeSte and Beautiful Creatures are currently on tour with OZZfest. Check out tour dates, news and music at the band's website, http:www.beautifulcreatures.net.